How to Save Your Dragon
by LetsgototheMax
Summary: One month after Drago Bludvist attacked Berk and failed, Hiccup, Astrid, and the dragon riders are back to what they do best: saving and protecting dragons by flying their own. But, a certain family member looms on the horizon, waiting to save them, or punish them for their evil towards all of dragonkind.
1. Aftermath of Drago

This is Berk. A cliff of rock and moss. However, every place has its secrets, and this little village is no exception.

One of these secrets is dragons.

It's been a month since Drago Bludvist and his Bewilderbeast attacked Berk. A month since Hiccup Haddock the Third and his Night Fury Toothless became the chief and alpha of both humans and dragons. A month since a dark and terrible chapter of Berk has come and gone.

A month since Stoick the Vast perished heroically on the battlefield.

And that's where Hiccup was. Mourning his father at a large engravement of the great chief at the great hall.

 _Dad, have I made you proud? Are you happy of who I am?_ Hiccup wondered to himself. Toothless gently grunted next to him and laid his head against Hiccup's body.

Behind him, he heard wings and a familiar screech. The young chief turned his head to find his beloved Astrid Hofferson and her blue Deadly Nadder Stormfly swooping down from above.

 _She's always so gorgeous,_ Hiccup thought with a big smile on his face.

"Morning, my chief. I'd figure you'd be here," Astrid said, flipping her golden blonde hair out of her face. Toothless and Stormfly shook the ground as they chased and played with one another.

"Yeah. I mean, it's still so weird that he's not roaming around, bossing everyone around." He then impersonated his father in his recognizable tough and gruff voice.

Astrid could not help but laugh heartily. She then walked up to Hiccup and planted a big kiss on his cheek. Hiccup immediately blushed.

"Come on. The others are waiting for us back on the Dragon's Edge. Gobber can take care of things here."

Hiccup glared down the hill, towards Gobber's forge. Below, Gobber and his Hotburple, Grump. Together, the one-armed and one-legged Viking and the lazy, fat dragon managed the forge and its long line of waiting villagers.

Hiccup saddled onto Toothless and Astrid climbed atop of Stormfly. They soared in the direction of the Dragon's Edge and towards the endless sea.

Meanwhile, over a fog-cloaked island far from Berk, a man sat and closed his red eyes. He was large, his rough, tan skin covering his bulging muscles. He wore black armor made of dragon hide, and two horns protruded out of his skull. He didn't possess teeth, but fangs, and claws, not nails, laid retracted beneath his gloves.

Behind him, a man shook and shivered. He was small and scrawny, and was shackled. Two bigger men behind him nudged him with their swords and axes. They also wore dragon armor, but in red rather than black.

"What is your name?" the mysterious man asked in a deep and cold voice. He didn't even turn his head.

"O-Olav. S-son of C-Canute," the scrawny man barely managed to pronounce through chittering teeth.

"And do you know why you have been brought before me?"

"N-no, L-lord Eric I-Ironside?"

"I am Eric Ironside. Son of Fafnir. And you, dragon hunter, have committed crimes against dragonkind. As punishment, you must relinquish your soul."

"No! Please! Lord Ironside! Please forgive me! I won't do it again! Have mercy!"

Eric then picked up the dragon hunter and hurled him off the cliff like nothing. Eric had no remorse as he heard the screams drift down towards the sea.

Just then a little Terrible Terror arrived with a letter. The little green dragon sat on Ironside's shoulder as he read it aloud.

 _Found the Edge. Awaiting your command. Fleets, infantry, and dragons are on standby. We await your command._

After taking a minute to think, Eric replied on the back of the note, do _not engage. I would like to have a talk with Hiccup Haddock first. Only engage if I am compromised_.

He then attached the letter to the Terrible Terror and it took off, back in the same direction it came from.

Eric's face grew a smile.

"We will meet soon, Hiccup. Then you will suffer for all that you and your friends have done to dragons. To my family."


	2. Eric Ironside

Back on the Edge, Hiccup and Astrid landed after a long flight. But both dragons and their riders had much energy to spare. Astrid and Hiccup overlooked the edge and what the other riders were up to.

Snoutlout Jorgenson was cooking a whole chicken on his Monstrous Nightmare, Hookfang. Hiccup knew he must've said something obnoxious, because Hookfang ignited his pants on fire. Snoutlout ran around, screaming and panicking.

Astrid saw Fishlegs Ingerman feeding his Gronckle Meatlug. She would gorge on buckets of rocks, and Fishlegs was observantly taking notes.

The Hideous Zippleback Barf and Belch were playing around with twins Ruffnut and Tuffnut Thorston. The twins would prance around stupidly and Barf and Belch would spew out gas and spark it, igniting a wall of flame.

Hiccup headed back to his hut with Toothless, while Astrid sharpened her axe with Stormfly.

Just then, Hiccup noticed Toothless turn his head toward the sea.

"What is it, bud?" Hiccup asked concernedly. He then saw ships and dragons on the horizon. Hundreds of them.

When he pulled out his spyglass out of Toothless' saddlebag, Hiccup was in shock. So much so that he almost dropped it.

"Come on, bud! We gotta warn the others!"

After gathering the riders and dragons, Hiccup told everyone what he saw.

"It was a dragon, but none like we had seen before. It was white…"

"Like a Screaming Death?" Astrid asked.

"Yeah. It also had rocky, hard scales…"

"Like a Quaken?" Fishlegs followed.

"Correct. Along with huge wings…"

"Like a Timberjack?" Snotlout guessed.

"Mhmm. And lastly, the large size of…"

"A Night Terror?" Tuffnut asked.

"What? No!" Hiccup said in annoyance. "But I do know that this dragon has the speed of a Speed Stinger and the heat of an Eruptodon."

"Then we better attack it, and fast, before it destroys the Edge," Astrid suggested.

"She's right," Hiccup agreed. "Everyone, gather up in the air and we'll form a wall to attack it head-on."

The riders mounted their dragons and climbed to altitude. They lined up and flew towards the unknown dragon.

The dragon spit blue fire, both in streams and fireballs. In response, the dragons and riders took evasive action.

Toothless' speed allowed him to dodge the dragon's projectiles rather easily. But what happened next shocked Hiccup.

All it took was one glance from the dragon's glowing red eyes. Toothless began to flail and panic in a frenzy. Hiccup struggled to just hold on.

Seizing its chance, the dragon swooped down and snatched Toothless and Hiccup in its jaws. The other riders flew after it. After evading fire from the riders, the dragon swooped into Hiccup's hut.

"What do we do?" Fishlegs asked frantically.

"Uh, isn't it obvious?" Tuffnut asked.

"We let Hiccup become dragon chow," Ruffnut said, seemingly with no emotion.

"No way!" Astrid shouted with determination. "We save him."

She then nodded at Stormfly, which shot her tail spikes at the door to knock it down.

When everyone and their dragons entered, Hiccup and Toothless appeared unharmed, although in some shock. The dragon was gone, but in its place was a man.

"Ah, hello dragon riders, and Hiccup Haddock," the man said.

"My name is Eric Ironside, and we need to talk."


	3. Cousins

"Who are you, exactly?" Hiccup asked in immense confusion.

"Eric Ironside," the man stared back eerily.

"So. Uh, where's your dragon? I bet me and Hookfang scared him off," Snotlout said arrogantly.

Eric laughed boomingly. After a few minutes, he calmed himself down and was able to breathe again.

"Silly boy. I AM the dragon."

Everyone's eyes widened while their jaws dropped.

"Whoa, man," Tuffnut began. "Just because you're ugly like a dragon doesn't mean you are one."

Eric turned around and shot blue fire at Tuffnut, barely missing him by inches, but close enough to ignite his hair.

He then sprouted wings. The same huge, white wings he did as a dragon.

He unsheathed his claws and revealed his horns.

"Okay. He's the dragon. I stand corrected," Tuffnut said.

"Why are you here?" Hiccup asked, trying to hide his awe.

"To deliver you your punishment."

"Punishment for what?"

"Your sins against dragons."

"WAIT, WHAT?!" everyone exclaimed.

"No. No way. Whatever wild and wacky idea you have of us and dragons, I'm sure you're mistaken," Hiccup said.

"Me? Mistaken?!" Eric said in an angry manner. "I see the way you primitive lifeforms abuse and mistreat dragons. You force them to carry you and your belongings, cage them like common livestock and beat them when they disobey your command! You stain and tarnish the power and grace of dragons!"

Eric stomped his foot on a chair and readied to fire his breath. The riders unsheathed their swords and axes, with their dragons charging their own breaths.

"Alright, everyone, calm down," Hiccup said, standing and raising his arms towards both sides. "We can resolve this peacefully or violently." He then turned his head towards Eric.

"The choice is yours."

After a minute, Eric lowered his foot and closed his mouth. The others backed down as well.

"Listen to me, Eric. We are just as caring towards dragons as you are. I saved my Night Fury by fixing his tail, and he has repaid me by saving my butt countless times. When you earn a dragon's trust, there is nothing it won't do for you. We also rescue dragons, probably from the humans that you are after."

"The dragon hunters," Astrid said, putting the pieces together. "They've been scattered across the archipelago ever since Drago failed to conquer Berk, possibly splitting into different factions."

"Even Viggo, Ryker, Dagur or Krogan could not bring them all back together. Even with their forces scattered, it doesn't make them less dangerous," Fishlegs added.

"We need to know where you come from," Hiccup asked.

Again, Eric laughed. "Hiccup, don't you remember? I am your cousin."

"Uhhhhhh… come again," a dumbfounded Hiccup responded.

"My mother, Freydis Ironside, was the sister of your mother, Valka. Ask her yourself."

"I will. Anything else?" Hiccup attempted to act calm, but deep down was full of fear. Enough for Eric to smell it off him.

At that moment, another dragon entered the hut. It looked identical to Eric's dragon form, but its scales were a darker gray, and it was smaller than he was.

"Ah, Liliana, I trust the trip was not too rough on your wings?" Eric asked excitedly, giving the dragon a nice scratch. The dragon gave a gentle roar in response, happily smiling.

Meanwhile, the dragons and riders were on edge, weapons drawn and fangs beared.

"Relax," Eric assured. "This is Liliana, my comrade, best friend, and bride-to-be."

The dragon then produced a bright white light that blinded everyone in the hut. When the light receded, the dragon vanished, and in its place was a beautiful blond woman of fair skin and red eyes, similar to Eric's. She wore horns, but they were smaller than his, and she wore silver plated armor.

"Greetings," she began with a bow. "I am Liliana Rolfe, daughter of the shieldmaiden Hervor.

Eric shared a kiss with Hervor before going back to business.

"Hiccup Haddock, I believe that you and your friends are lovers and supporters of dragonkind. However, those 'dragon hunters' you speak of are no allies of mine. I say we prove to everyone throughout the archipelago and beyond the power that humans and dragons can wield together. What do you say?"

Eric extended his hand towards Hiccup.

With just a smile and a nod, Hiccup responded with a handshake. Cheering and roaring was heard throughout the hut.


	4. His Power

Everyone rallied and climbed to their dragons and Eric and Liliana transformed back into dragons. Eric caught up to Hiccup and Toothless and spoke in a deep voice that you'd expect to hear from a dragon.

"I must inform my forces of this recent alliance. We will rendezvous with you back on Berk."

He then broke off from the riders and dived toward the largest ship in his armada. Liliana followed.

"They're something, huh bud?" Hiccup said to Toothless. The Night Fury gently grunted.

Together, the riders head back to Berk. There, Hiccup could not wait to tell Valka about his discovery.

When they landed, cheering erupted. Valka and Cloudjumper moved through the crowd of Berkians.

"Haha! There they are!" She gave Toothless a rub, who then went to play with Cloudjumper.

"Mom!" Hiccup exclaimed. He ran to hug her. "You are not gonna believe what we have discovered!"

"Did you discover more new land?" Gobber chimed in while working the forge.

"No. But we did discover new people."

Everyone went silent, eager to hear more.

"Don't worry," Hiccup assured. "They aren't a threat to us. In fact, we may become close allies."

Everyone remained quiet, suspicious but eager to hear more.

"What do you mean?" Valka asked.

"We found a fleet and dragon force from beyond our archipelago. Get this: their commanders can TRANSFORM into dragons."

Gasps and shocked faces sprung up everywhere.

"I know it's hard to believe but trust me. I saw it with my own eyes. We couldn't classify them in a certain class because they seem to be all the classes put together. They're… they're-"

"…They're one of a kind," a voice finished.

Hiccup turned around to see Eret with Skullcrusher. Rufnut followed behind him, seemingly in a trance.

"I have heard of men transforming into dragons. I always thought that it was just a myth, but if what you say is true…"

"This-this is amazing!" Valka said. "I need to meet them."

"They are on their way now," Hiccup assured.

Meanwhile on the fleet, Eric was in his private quarters with Liliana. They embraced near a fire and began to kiss intimately.

Just then, Haukson, Eric's second-in-command, knocked on the door.

Giving a sigh, Eric asked, "What is it now, Haukson?"

"Dragon riders! Off the port bow!"

Suddenly, Eric and Liliana get on their feet and rush to the door. Sure enough, they see eight to ten ships with the emblem of the dragon hunters on the sail.

 _Viggo, Krogan or Ryker don't seem to be on any of these ships; maybe it's a scouting fleet,_ Eric thought, _but perhaps a well-placed strike could heavily cripple this fleet…_

Transforming into a dragon, Eric took off towards the fleet.

"I'll take out the trash here. Proceed towards Berk!"

"What does Captain Ericside think he's doing?!" Haukson exclaimed.

"Being stubborn, as always," Liliana replied with no emotion.

With ferocious speed, Eric raced towards the ships. Bolas and nets had no chance of catching up to the dragon.

Turning back forward, Eric saw two ships blocking his path. He knew there was only one way to get through.

"Out of my way!" he snarled.

Opening his jaws, Eric fired two blue fireballs, exploding as they made contact with the fragile wood. Both ships exploded, caught fire and took on water, rendering them dead. Hunters screamed, some on fire, others in panic.

Climbing up to a higher altitude, Eric then dive-bombed, successfully sinking four more ships and serious damaging two others.

All that remained was the flagship and one more escort.

Eric could have easily sunk both as a dragon, but decided to have some fun as a human.

He landed as human form on the escort ship and unsheathed his sword. It sprung a second blade on the opposing end of the hilt, and then both blades ignited blue, crackling with electricity.

Stunned with fear, the hunters could barely move a muscle. Many were cut down, frozen with fear. Some of Eric's lightning coursed through the metal and wood of the ships, shocking the hunters that Eric couldn't normally reach.

Reaching the steering wheel, Eric grabbed on and turned away from the flagship. Hunters on the flagship knew that their escort was hijacked and began shooting their poison-tipped arrows and blowdarts at Eric.

Able to dodge or block all of the darts and arrows, he then swerved the wheel around, and the ship responded with a 180 degree turn. Opening the sails, Eric then darted back towards the flagship.

Some perceptive hunters knew what was coming and jumped overboard. Others stood dumbstruck, seemingly unaware that their fate has been sealed.

At full force, Eric crashed his captured ship right into the hull of the flagship. The impact was so strong that the bow of Eric's ship was able to pierce through the flagship and out the other side.

Men screamed and yelled among the loud crash of wood and metal and loud splashing. Before his ship could sink, Eric once more transformed into a dragon and flew away.

"Hope you can swim!" he yelled before laughing and soaring into the clouds.


	5. Son of Fafnir

Eric landed back on the ship after a relaxing flight. Cheers and yells erupted, and Liliana rushed to greet him.

"Are you okay, my love?" she asked, even though she knew his answer before he even said it.

"The only thing I have to worry about is laughing to hard!" Eric responded.

"My lord, we are approaching Berk," Haukson said.

"Excellent, my friend. I wish nothing but good intentions for our new allies," Eric responded, along with a pat on Haukson's back.

Within the hour, Eric's armada docked off Berk. Hiccup, Valka, Astrid and Gobber led Eric and Liliana around the village before ending up in the great hall.

Hiccup, Valka, Gobber and Astrid sat on one side of the table, with Snotlout Ruffnut and Tuffnut behind them, their dragons surrounding them. Eric, Liliana and Haukson sat on the other side.

"I could never have imagined that humans and dragons could be coexist so peacefully," Eric said, sounding surprised.

"Yeah. I mean, dragon feeding stations, dragon baths, dragon fire prevention, dragon saddle-crafting, and even dragon dentistry!" Liliana gasped. "I know where I'm going if my teeth ever ache."

"Hiccup," Eric said. "An ability that all dragons possess is being able to sense the soul of a person. I have it, as well. So does she." He then pointed to Liliana. "Dragons, any and all, love you and Berkians because you all are so caring and loving to our kind. So much in fact, I believe it is time to trust you with our biggest secret."

"Uhhh, thanks, I guess," Hiccup replied nervously. "What is this secret?"

"It's best if you see for yourself. I invite your friends and family to visit." Like on the Edge, Eric extended his hand, and Hiccup shook it.

The next morning, just as the sun was reaching the horizon, the riders boarded their dragons. Along with the dragon riders, Valka rode Cloudjumper and Gobber flew Grump.

Eric and Liliana spotted the dragons flying south, just as they planned. They then looked at each other and nodded before jumping off and diving towards the sea. Just before hitting the surface, they transformed into their dragon forms and flew to meet them.

"How do we get there?" Hiccup asked.

"Follow us," Liliana said, with her and Eric speeding ahead.

The riders follow without question.

The flight lasted two hours, with nothing but the endless sea and occasional small island.

Then, there it was.

Suddenly, Eric and Liliana dived. There was a large island, seeming to glow a strange, peaceful golden light. Sunny beaches, lush forests, several large villages and a golden castle laid sprawled across.

Eric turned around towards the riders while he was still diving.

"Welcome to Yong Island. Our home."

Shouts and exclaims of shock and excitement could be heard. The dragons too couldn't seem to wait.

Eventually, the dragons and their riders landed on a smooth silver platform near the castle. Soldiers and citizens surrounded the group. Suddenly, everyone unsheathed swords, axes, clubs, bows and shields.

In response, the riders released weapons of their own, including Hiccup, which removed his dragon blade he named Inferno off his belt. The dragons bore fangs, ready to spew fire.

"Stand down!" Eric shouted who was still a dragon. "They are our allies! They have no intent to bring war or danger!"

Listening, everyone put their weapons away. The riders did the same.

"Lord Eric, welcome home," a guard spoke. "Your father, King Fafnir, has requested your presence. He knows of the foreign strangers, as well, and wishes to speak to them."

As Eric and Liliana led the way to the castle, guards stood along either edge of the walkway. They wore golden armor with dragon masks.

"Heh. These guys don't look so tough," Snotlout said.

"Don't mess with them," Liliana interrupted. "They are our elites. Trained to fight both man and dragon."

Snotlout mockingly poked and laughed at one of the guards. The guard then drove his knee into Snotlout's face and used his spear to pin him to the ground. All that managed to escape Snotlout's was a weak wheeze.

Hiccup and the riders tried not to laugh out loud. Eric and Liliana shared a silent smile.

The riders and dragons eventually reached the palace's doors.

"Are you ready for our surprise?" Eric asked.

Everyone nodded.

"Alright. Just remember to mind your manners and only speak to our king when spoken to," Liliana said, staring at Snotlout with intent.

The huge golden doors swung open, and inside was blinding- literally.

Everything seemed to shimer and produce golden light. Everything from the floor to the paintings on the wall and utensils on the table.

Everyone but Eric and Liliana winced at the light.

"I know, it takes some getting used to," Eric said noticing everyone shielding their eyes.

"It looks and feels like Vahlalla," Tuffnut said. "But we're still alive. Or are we?"

When the light died down, the interior was huge. There was no ceiling, and the walls were at least four stories high. The palace was huge, able to hold at least half a dozen Berkian houses within. Guards riding dragons that also wore golden armor flew around or patrolled along the ground.

They were protecting the most important figure person, or rather- dragon, of the island.

"King Fafnir," Eric said with the utmost respect, bowing. Liliana walked back towards the dragons and the riders, who were staring at the greatest creature they have ever laid eyes on.

"I have returned, father."

What Eric was bowing towards was King Fafnir, a golden Bewilderbeast. However, he was much larger than either Valka's or Drago's Bewilderbeast.

"We've seen this dragon before," Hiccup said.

"First of all, he's not just any dragon," Liliana responded, sounding a bit offended. "You may have come across the Bewilderbeast before, but nothing like King Fafnir, I'm sure. He is not just a king, but THE GOD of ALL dragons."


	6. The God of Dragons

"A GOD of dargons?!" Hiccup exclaimed.

"That's impossible!" Astrid followed. "There's no way!"

"A god of dragons?" Ruffnut asked. "So, like a big god like Loki or just a blah one like Odin?"

"I assure you, he's even bigger than Loki," Liliana said confidently.

Eric slowly waked to his father.

"My lord, father, I have returned, my mission complete."

"Good, son. Have you executed the Berkian Dragon Riders like I had instructed?"

"Uh, not exactly," Eric said, sounding nervous. "But let me explain what had-"

"Happened?! Is that what you were gonna say?!" Fafnir's voice rose to a deafening roar. "WHAT IS THERE TO EXPLAIN?! YOU CAN'T KILL A SIMPLE BUNCH OF DRAGON ABUSERS?! I HAVE A DISGRACE FOR A SECOND-IN-COMMAND AND HEIR!"

"He's not a disgrace, and he has a right to explain!" Hiccup defiantly interrupted. Everyone stared with shocked faces. Even Toothless seemed befuddled.

"What did you say, mortal weakling?!" Fafnir growled, glancing at the young chief.

"Your son has recognized that us Berkians have changed. Dragons are kind, amazing, and intelligent creatures that brought our village together."

"Hmmm..."

"He's not wrong, dad." Eric butted in.

Fafnir then was surrounded by white light, rather than golden. When the light receded, he emerged as a human, wearing a crown and golden armor.

"Listen, human. You are not wrong. I sense goodness in you. However, we cannot fully trust the humans. They have taken advantage of us too much for too long."

"Not all of us are dragon killers," Hiccup said. "There are other humans that support dragons. The Berserkers. The Defenders of the Wing. The Wingmaidens."

"You may be right, human. But those Dragon Hunters are capable of terrible things. They forced one of my children to betray and kill another child of mine. I ask of your assistance."

"I understand. We will not fail you." Hiccup and the Riders bowed and left. Eric and Liliana did the same and followed.

Valka then walked next to Eric.

"Eric, what did your father mean by 'his children?'"

"Long ago, my father was arranged to marry a female chief named Freydis. However, he didn't love her, and instead fell for a female Bewilderbeast in a nearby cave. Sensing his love, the Bewilderbeast gave Fafnir her blood, allowing him to also transform into a Bewilderbeast. The two then mated and laid many eggs, including mine."

"You were born from an egg?" Snotlout asked. "You probably would've made a great omelet."

Eric ignored Snotlout and continued. "Anyway, their babies grew up to be the next generation of Bewilderbeast. My mom was the last of her kind, you see, and she needed my father to reproduce. Every king of dragons is my sibling.

"One day, I received news that a Bewilderbeast with a human was killed. By another one. It tore my heart. But I knew that the Bewilderbeast must've been forced to kill. So, my anger shifted towards humans."

"Listen, Eric," Valka began. "I was that human. I was there when the Bewilderbeast died. I'm sorry for your loss."

Suddenly feeling rage, Eric screamed and grabbed Valka by her throat with one hand. Everyone turned back and exclaimed to see Valka slowly being choked. The dragons snarled and bore teeth. Even the guards unsheathed their weapons simultaneously.

"Eric! Listen. There's nothing my mom could've done," Hiccup said. "She tried her best, we all did. But it wasn't enough. Drago and his Bewilderbeast are still out there. If you want to avenge your sibling, stop Drago before it's too late."

Eric, mouth wide open, glowing with fire, turned towards Hiccup. After a minute, Eric closed his mouth and let Valka go, who coughed viciously.

"I'm sorry. I let my anger get the best of me," Eric said, sounding embarrassed.

"It's alright. I'd probably do the same," Valka weakly gasped.

The Dragon Riders leave Yong Island and head back to the Edge, which has been abandoned since Hiccup was made acting chief a couple of years ago. Valka and Cloudjumper flew straight to Berk instead.

When Eric landed, he punched a hole in the wooden wall of Hiccup's old hut.

"Those hunters will suffer for this. I swear it!"


	7. Strong, but Not Invincible

Without warning, Eric took to the sky. He headed in the direction of the Dragon Hunters' last known location.

"Eric! Eric, come back!" Liliana called out, but to no avail.

"What do we do?" Hiccup asked, obviously concerned.

"We… let him go."

"WHAT?!" everyone exclaimed.

"I know it seems wrong, but we need to let him blow off some steam. He'll be back fine."

Meanwhile, an angry Eric sped towards a lightning storm. Knowing the Hunters would avoid it, he decided to take a shortcut.

 _They will suffer, I swear._

The clouds then parted, revealing a shining sun, and an armada of Hunter ships. But it was more than just another fleet.

 _That's Drago Bludvist's ship! I can take him out here!_

Taking out the weaker patrol ships first, Eric divebombed and incinerated them in blue flames. Men lit aflame screamed, flinging themselves overboard or burning up on the fiery decks.

Not satisfied yet, Eric attacked some of the Hunters' dragons, devouring the riding Dragon Hunters, freeing them of their uncomfortable armor and directing them towards Berk.

Finally, it was time to strike at Drago.

Eric swooped down and saw Drago swinging his bullhook and yelling intensely. Suddenly, the water erupted, revealing his huge Bewilderbeast with its lost tusk.

"Oh, Thor!" Eric said before facing a wall of ice.

"Catch him!" Drago ordered, and the Bewilderbeast responded with a growl, turning towards the lone dragon.

Eric fired at the Bewilderbeast's face, attempting to hit Drago, but the feared Dragon Hunter managed to take cover in the monster's spikes.

As Eric attempted to escape from his dive, he felt a sudden dull pain across half of his body. The Bewilderbeast whacked him with his tail, and now Eric was in freefall until he hit the wooden deck of Drago's vessel.

Before he had a chance to react, Eric was locked within a cage and surrounded by clamoring Dragon Hunters. Then, they fell silent at once when a huge figure emerged off the Bewilderbeast.

"You belong to me now, son of Fafnir," Drago said coldly.

The last thing Eric saw before everything went dark was a Hunter firing a blowdart of Dragon Root at him.

A few hours pass, and Liliana, along with the rest of the Riders on the Edge, grow worried. Realizing that there is no time left, she transforms into her dragon form and takes to the sky, followed by the Riders.

When Eric awoke, he was in a cell within a cave, dimly lit by two torches. He heard constant dragon roars, some sounding as if they're in pain or fear.

Then, clanging was heard. A guard banged his mace against the bars of Eric's cell.

"Wake up! It's story time."

"What's… what's going on?"

"You're going to tell us everything that you know. Now, get up."

The guard entered the cell and dragged the weak Eric to another chamber. It was a open and wide expanse in the cave, large enough to house the Bewilderbeast. A single ray of sunlight reached through and shined on a large slab in the center.

The guard placed Eric on the slab and tied ropes to restrain him. Drago then walked up to Eric, struggling to break free.

"Now, you will tell me where the boy Hiccup and his friends are."

Eric, determined to resist, stared back in silence. He then grinned and began to laugh.

"Fine," Drago responded. "You leave me no choice." He then pointed his bullhook at Eric, and the Bewilderbeast began to hypnotize Eric.

Eric felt unbearable pain in his head. His vision flashed bright and dark, loud ringing pierced his ears, and he felt a burning sensation all over his body.

"My control over the dragons can get me anything I want. Now, give it to me!"

The Bewilderbeast focused more, and the pain intensified. Eric couldn't take it anymore.

"AGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"


	8. Aftermath of Drago, Again

Liliana and the Riders eventually find the island that Drago, Eric and the Bewilderbeast were located. She trusted her sense of smell to find her mate. As she began to dive, Toothless and Hiccup held her back.

"Let's wait until night to attack. We'll have a much easier time getting in and out."

"But every moment we waste puts Eric in more danger…"

"If we were to attack now, we would be outnumbered and outgunned, and imprisoned along with Eric. We have no other choice, Liliana."

Hesitant, Liliana followed the Riders away, hating the fact that they couldn't help Eric now.

Meanwhile, Eric felt nothing. No emotions. No signs of life. Just his two red eyes staring into space.

Drago observed the dragon prince from a higher ledge. Like an obedient dog, his Bewilderbeast sat next to him.

"Sir, we've tried the interrogation for hours, but nothing is working," a guard said.

"Keep trying!" Drago snapped. "Nothing lasts forever. Eventually, he will succumb and join our ranks, but keep at it."

"Yes, sir," the guard said before leaving.

Meanwhile, Liliana and the Riders spread into different locations. Together, they will ambush the island across various locations, creating an opportunity to sneak in and out, rescuing Eric and destroying anything left.

After getting into position, the attack began. Toothless and Hiccup fired plasma shots at the defenses. Hiccup and Snotlout rescued captured dragons that were being held in cages. The twins sprayed and ignited gas across the enemy reinforcements.

Liliana swooped up and dived into the cave, Eric being at the front of her mind. She searched desperately, and killed any Hunters that attacked, but no luck.

She then reached the interrogation room. It was empty and silent, and she knew it was a trap.

But she saw Eric in the room, and instinctively ran to him in human form.

"Eric. Eric! Talk to me!" She violently shook him, but he remained motionless, his red eyes staring blankly.

Laughter then echoed across the cave.

"Oh, girl," Drago began. "He's not coming back." He's gone. Forever."

"No! What have you done?!" Liliana yelled.

"What do you think? His human and dragon mind have been stretched to its limit, causing irreversible brain damage. He's a dead man walking. An empty shell, if you will."

Liliana screamed and turned into a dragon. Even as she prepared to spit fire at Drago, he smiled.

At that moment, Liliana's flames left her jaws, the Bewilderbeast lowered its tail to shield Drago. Drago then climbed onto the behemoth and directed it to attack her.

The Bewilderbeast proceeded to stomp on the helpless dragon, when Hiccup and the Riders entered the room. They fired at the Bewilderbeast, causing it to stumble backwards.

Liliana, spared from being smashed, ran over to free Eric. As the battle raged all around her, she continued to hopelessly attempt to awake him, but he remained unresponsive.

However, no one knew what was going on in Eric's head.

 _Why, brother? Why? Is it because he forced you? Because you didn't have a choice?_

The Bewilderbeast suddenly froze.

 _Yes. I know. You're in pain. You're scared. But together, we can force him out. Come back to us, our family. Father misses you._

"What is wrong with you?!" Drago furiously yelled.

The Riders landed around Eric and Liliana.

"It's happening. As Fafnir's son and the Prince of Dragons, he is able to telepathically communicate with other dragons, including his siblings," Liliana said.

"Wow," the Riders reply. The dragons seemed to respect the prince.

 _Come home._

The Bewilderbeast then shook Drago off him. Drago fell to the ground, realizing that his biggest weapon turned against him.

The Bewilderbeast then emitted an unusual roar. One that it has never emitted before.

Then, Eric emerged from his vegetable state and regained consciousness.

Everyone cheered, and Liliana kissed Eric. Eric then looked at the Bewilderbeast and said, "thank you."

The Bewilderbeast then walked over to him, and the two touched with their foreheads.

"This isn't over!" Drago screamed, getting back to his feet.

The remaining force of Hunters surrounded the dragons and Riders. They all prepared to attack.

"No!" Eric yelled. "Put your weapons down."

The Riders agreed, and Drago laughed.

"Seems that the son of Fafnir is somewhat smart after all."

Eric then roared loudly, so loud that everyone covered their ears.

"What was that?" Drago asked.

"The beginning of your end," Eric coolly replied.

Just then, tons of dragons blew the root of the cave open. Tons of dragons of every species and color. They began to fire at the Hunters while Drago ran for cover.

"You. You called them here, didn't you?" Liliana said with a smile.

"Well, I am the son of the King, after all."

Eric and Liliana transformed into dragons and flew with the Riders back to Berk. The Bewilderbeast entered the sea and swam below them. After the Hunters were decimated, the dragons followed.

"Hold on. I'm on trash duty, and I gotta take it out," Eric said. He swooped down to pick up a panicking Drago in his fanged jaws.

The dragons and Riders arrived back at Berk. Cheering and roaring erupted.

"Berk's warriors have returned!" Valka shouted. Cloudjumper played with Toothless and Stormfly.

"Take him away!" Eric ordered as he spit Drago out. Two Vikings took him to the hall.

"So, when are we gonna go back home, where are wedding awaits, my love?" Liliana asked, holding Eric's hand.

"Just until I talk to someone," Eric responded as he headed up to the hall.

Eric entered the hall and walked to a chained Drago.

"Leave us," he ordered to the guards, and they left.

"Let me ask you something, Drago Bludvist. Why do you hate dragons?"

"It all began a long time ago. I grew up to hate dragons. And why wouldn't I? They ate our livestock and burned our crops. They killed my family and blazed my home. So, I vowed that one day, I would rise above these monsters and reign supreme. And you, you are a savage with a false king of a father! I AM THE MASTER OF DRAGONS!"

"Well, your 'empire ended before it even began. Pathetic," said Eric.

Eric then threw a torch at Drago and set him on fire. As Eric walked away, Drago's screams were the last thing he heard before slamming the door shut.

A few days passed, and Hiccup and Eric formed an alliance between Yong Island and Berk.

Eric's was coronated and crowned the King of Dragons by Fafnir. On the same day, he and Liliana were married on Yong Island.

And Drago's former Bewilderbeast returned home, where it patrols the coast around Yong Island, forever free from Drago's grip.

The Riders and their dragons sit together on a cliff, overlooking the sunset. Eric and Liliana join them as dragons and transform into humans.

"So, what's next for the new King of Dragons?" Hiccup asked.

Eric turned towards the sunset and smiled.

THE END

Author's note: Thank you for reading my How to Train Your Dragon fanfiction! I apologize and completely understand if this ending seemed rushed, but it is because I am preparing for my next story!

My next story will be about the movie Ready Player One. My next character, Logan Wolff, will find and join the virtual world of OASIS in 2045. If you are a gamer and/or have watched this film, be sure to check it out!


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